While the debate still rages as to whether current and future brides to be will be wearing predominantly white gold or yellow gold this year, another gold has entered into the jewelry market in a big way. Rose gold, sometimes also referred to as pink gold or red gold, has made a pronounced entrance into the jewelry market and onto top celebrities’ hands, ears, necks, wrists, etc. this year.
How is it made?
Basically rose gold is made by combining two metals: gold and copper. A typical combination of white gold and copper used to create rose gold is about 75% gold and 25% copper. Because rose gold is a combination of two different metals, also called an alloy, there is no such thing as “pure” rose gold. And, just as colored gemstones, especially those created in a lab setting, can have different variations of a particular hue, so too can rose gold. This accounts for the names “red” and “pink” gold. By varying the copper content and sometimes by adding silver, different shades can be made within the rose gold spectrum.
How popular is it?
Because traditional, or yellow gold, is often not a compound or alloy, it remains the most expensive and the most popular gold worldwide. However, gold prices are currently on the rise in the United States because of the relatively limited amount of it left in the country and fewer mines in existence than years ago during “The Gold Rush.” This means that all gold prices are rising, regardless whether it is solid gold or an alloy. Also, shows like Gold Rush on the Discovery Channel are reigniting the somewhat long-lost American Dream of mining for gold and striking it rich as a result.
How to Wear It
Rose gold is beautiful and can be worn as such all by itself in earrings, a necklace, rings, or just about any other kind of jewelry. However, many jewelry stores today are selling multi-tone jewelry. While white gold and yellow gold two-tone jewelry has been around for quite some time, now that rose gold has made its entrance known, jewelry stores are capitalizing on this novel look and also using it with white gold to create a unique, newer, two-tone look.